Liquid diffuser



fw 49., w. H. WHEELER ETAL 2,474,505

LIQUID DIFFUSER Filed Oct. 26, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 28 E4., WHEELER ETA.

LIQUID DIFFUSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 26 1948 INVENToRs Milian: W/tl/er yleamn lffmes W. H. WHEELER ET AL Je 28, E949.

LIQUID DIFFUSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 26, 1948 MMY m www MM50/MM @Y ma W. H. WHEELER ETAL Jun@ 28, 194:9o

LIQUID DIFFUSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 26, 1948 {NVENTORS June 28, 1949, w. H. WHEELER ETAL 2,474,605

LIQUID DIFFUSER Filed oct. 2e, 1948 5 sheets-sheet 5 TEN.

Patented June 1949 LIQUID DIFFUSEB William H. Wheeler, New York, N. Y., and Leonard B. AWamnelu, Aberdeen, Miss., assignors to Airkennlnc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application October 26, 1948, Serial No. 50,648

14 claims'.

The present invention relates to liquid diilusers and, more particularly, to such devices adapted to disperse vapors from liquids into the atmosphere by controlled evaporation; the present aP- plicatlon being a continuation-impart of our copending abandoned applications Serial No. 556,704, led October 2, 1944, and Serial No. 608,470, flled August 2, 1945.

A general object of the invention is the provision of such liquid diiuser which is readily and economically constructed and assembled, easily manually manipulated to obtain quite precise adjustment or control of the rate of evaporation of contained liquid material, provides for automatic manipulation to efllciently diffusive position of an evaporative body (e. g. a body of porous material which when saturated with liquid will permit vaporization and diffusion of such liquid therefrom in vapor phase into the surrounding atmosphere) as such body and support means are manually withdrawn from the liquid-containing vessel, permits ready opening and closing of the vessel, and which is adapted to eil'icient dispension of evaporable liquids (liquid capable of being evaporated) such as air fresheners from vessels such as bottles.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide such a device characterized by a bottle, or the like, for holding a body of evaporable liquid and withdrawable stem means supporting evaporative body means, such as wicking, or the like, in such manner as to permit ready adjustment during withdrawal to any of a plurality of desired positions there to remain for exposure of a predetermined length of evaporative body for e111-- ciently controlled rate of evaporation, the stem means with the evaporative body carried thereby being readily returnable to the bottle to permit eiective closure-of the latter when termination of diilusion is desired.

2 i Other objects of the invention will in part be y obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such device such stem and evaporative body assembly as will assure operation of the latter in a manner so that it may efficiently serve as a limit- The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

.For a. fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Flg. 1 is an elevational section to reduced scale of the closure, supported stem, evaporator and wicking to be fitted to a vessel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational section, with parts broken away, of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, together with the liquid-containing vessel showing the stem and associated wicking supported in diffusing position in the neck of the liquid-containing vessel and with the dual wicking units differently manipulated;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, with parts broken away, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational section to enlarged scale, with parts broken away, of the structure shown in Fig. 3, showing the cap andl structure supported thereby in vessel closing position;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view to reduced scale of a modied form of the cap, stem and wicking of the invention adapted for use with vessels ofv larger capacity than those to be employed with the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention with the bottle and closure shown in sectional elevation and the stem means and evaporative body means supported thereby shown in side elevation, all parts being depicted in their relative positions when the bottle is closed;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig. 7 and of the structure shown therein, but with the closure shown in side elevation and with the stem and evaporative body means withdrawn from th`e bottle to a diffusing position;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line/ 9-9 of FISH:

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the bottle closure,

l stem and evaporative body means of Figs. 7 to 9 are readily constructed and allow efficient use and inclusive, taken along line Ill-I0 of Fig. 8;

Flg.v11 is an elevational view, with parts in 3 section and broken away, of a modified form of stem and evaporative body means of the invention, showing the same mounted to and suspended from a bottle closure or cap;

Fig. 12 is a view taken along line I2I2 of Fig. 11, showing parts in section and elevation and parts broken away;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but with sectioning omitted, of a further modification of the present invention;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but with the bottle omitted and parts broken away, of still another form of the invention;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the stem means oi the structure shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of a further modified form of cap, stem means and evaporative body means or wicking of the invention; and

Fig. 17 is a side elevational View, with parts broken away and in section,r of the structure shown in Fig. 16.

Referring to the drawings, like numerals identify like parts throughout. A vessel closure I0, which may be a stopper or a cap and the like as desired, preferably comprises a cap having a skirt II provided with a screw thread I2 adapted to engage with external threads II on a neck I4 of a vessel such as a bottle I5. The closure or cap Il is provided with elongated stem means I mounted thereto and suspended therefrom in any suitable manner. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the stem I6 mayv comprise two somewhat similar pieces I1, I1 each of which is provided with a fiange Il secured by a rivet I9 to the cap III. The two stem pieces I1, II may be secured together in any suitable manner such as by one or more rivets 20.

Each stem piece I1 is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means which may comprise a pair of bolts, a pair of rivets or the like, but preferablyr comprise a pair of ears or fingers 2I and 22. The top ear or finger 2l may be provided by striking out a portion of the stock of the stem piece I1, and the ear or finger 22 may be formed by reducing in width the bottom end of the stem piece I1 and bending the reduced portion laterally.

The stem I5 is equipped with an evaporative body or diffuser for liquid of any type such as an air f'reshener, e. g. the product of Paschal U. S. .Patent No. 2,326,672 of August 10, 1943, and this evaporative body may, in accordance with the present invention, comprise a strip 23 of porous material, such as wicking, looped back upon itself to provide an inner ply 24 and anouter ply 25. The inner ply 24 preferably is provided with any suitable means to be engaged by the anchoring means or fingers 2| and 22, such as a top eyelet 2l and a bottom eyelet 21. The outer ply 25 is not anchored. to the anchoring means or finger 2| other than by the top portion of inner ply 24 which is joined thereto at the top of the loop, such as at 28, but it is preferably provided with any suitable means adapted to engage the bottom finger 22. Such means for engaging the finger 22 may be the eyelet 21 which preferably extends throughboth the inner and outer plies 24 and 25 to connect them together.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 and other figures that the top of the loop at 28 is extended beyond or above the top anchoring means or finger 2i by a minor portion of the inner ply 24 and a major portion of the latter extends between the fingers 2I and 22 with relatively no slackness, thereby assuring that the outer ply 25, extending from the lower finger 22 up to the loop top 28, and the upper minor portion of the inner ply from the loop top down to the top finger 2l provide together a loose strip of wicking which is longer than the lower major portion of the inner ply extending tautly between fingers 2i and 22, so that the resulting loose strip hangs loosely between the anchoring fingers 2I and 22. Of course, since woven wicking shrinks longitudinally when wetted, it is understood that the distance between the eyelets 26 and 21 in dry wicking preferably should be slightly greater than the distance between the roots of the flngers 2| and 22 to assure ease in engaging the eyelets over the fingers, but that this difference preferably is approximately equal .to the amount of foreshortening of the inner ply when wetted, but less than the distance between the ends of fingers 2i and 22 so that when parts are assembled the wicking may be stretched to engage the eyelets over the fingers and when released will remain in mounted position though dry.

The evaporative body 23 is preferably, though with a wick to draw liquid outwardly from within the vessel to the evaporative body. Such wick may be provided by extending the bottom ends of either one or both of the inner and outer plies 24 and 25. Since it has been found that a single wick is sumcient for this purpose, an economy of wicking dictates the extension of only one of the two plies. Preferably this extension is provided only for the outer ply 25 to form a wick 29 which covers the bottom end of the inner ply to aid in threading the wick assembly through the neck of the bottle. The wick extension 28 preferably is of suiiicient length to reach to the bottom of the bottle when the stem and wick assembly are withdrawn through the bottle neck a maximum distance of adjustment at which maximum rate of evaporation or diffusion into the surrounding y atmosphere of evaporable liquid may be had.

But, of course, the device will operate in the absence of depending wick 29 since when the wicking assembly is lowered into the bottle it will be wetted by contained liquid either by immersion or when the bottle is shaken.

As shown in the drawings, the wicking assembly just described is preferably duplicated on opposite sides of the stem means, but it will be understood that in so far as the operative and novel features of a wicking assembly are concerned, this may comprise a single inner ply 24 and a single outer ply 25 mounted on one side of the stem means.

The structure shown in Fig. 3 is drawn substantially to scale with the bottle adapted to contain about a pint of liquid. This bottle I5 is 00 provided with the elongated neck I4 terminating at 30 in a mouth and with the neck provided at 3| with an internal end or throat. As a result it will be understood that when the wick 29 is fed down into the bottle I5 and the stem I6 lowered the evaporative body 23 will pass down through the neck I4 until the cap I0 is engaged upon the neck I4 to close the bottle. Such closure operation is to be had with ease since a preferred embodiment of the diffuser of the present invention is designed for periodic use with the bottle closed between periods of diffusion. Thus the loop top 28 advisedly is limited in its extension beyond the anchoring means 2| to such an extent as to tend to avoid being caught at any point between the mouth of the bottle and the not necessarily, suitably associated or equipped 1 edge s2 of the skirt n of the eep. should wieking be used which is considerably narrower than the lneck I4, the top of the loop 28 might well extend to the vicinity of the edge 32 of the cap skirt II. However, it is preferred to use wicking which is wider than the neck diameter asis stiggested in Fig. 2. Accordingly, the outer edges of the loop top 28 may present such a problem if the loop is extended entirely to the edge 32 of the cap. This is avoided by foreshortening the top of the loop 28 a short distance such as is suggested'in Fig. 1, so that, regardless of the rela.- tive dimensions of the structure, the length of that portion of the inner ply 24 above the top anchoring means 2| is such that the distance between the top anchoring means and any point on the top of the loop, such as at one of its outer corners, is substantially no longer than the distance between that anchoring means and any point on the bottom edge 32 of the cap skirt II.

The loose strip of wicking, comprising the upper minor portion of the inner ply 24 and the outer ply 25, is made longer than the lower maior portion of the inner ply 24 tautly extending between the anchoring means 2| and 22 for at least two reasons. One of these reasons is that it will serve; by jamming, as a stop to limit the withdrawal of the stem I6 from the neck I4 of the bottle. This condition is graphically suggested in Fig.'3, wherein it is shownthat by withdrawal of the stem I6 the wetted outer ply 25 will drag along the inner surface of the neck I4 to produce a loop 33 which will eventually be jammed against the inner surface of the bottle I5 at the throat 8|. In the structure shown in Fig. 3 the stem I6 has not quite been withdrawn to completely tight jamming and nal limiting position. This jamming for limiting Withdrawal of the stem and evaporative body from the neck I4 may be provided by the two wicking assemblies on opposite sides of the stem, or such purpose may be emciently served by one of the two wicking assemblies, since it may be desired to increase the rate .of diffusion provided by the maximum exposure of the evaporative body 23 beyond the mouth 30 when the stem is withdrawn to its final limited position. In such case a greater rate of diiusion may be attained by engaging an instrument such as a finger between the inner and outer plies 24 and 25- and looping the loose strip of wicking, comprising the upper minor portion of the inner ply and the outer ply, outwardly in a lateral dire'ction as is proposed with respect to'the righthand wicking assembly in Fig. 3 for more complete exposure of the surfaces of the wicking to the surrounding atmosphere. Of course, it will evaporative body assembly may be held in any one of the desired number of different positions. Further, such folding, as is shown in Fig. 4, assures the provision of venting passageways such as 34-34 to prevent vapor lock'within the bottle as liquid is withdrawn therefrom by the wicking tobe diffused by the evaporative body. Proper dimensioning of parts and these passageways so provided by the longitudinal folding, assure that as the stem and -evaporative body are returned to within the bottle during closure with resultant squeezing of the wicking as it is slid down through the neck I4, the liquid squeezed out from the wicking will be returned to within the bottle rather than drip down the outside of the bottle.

` As has been indicated above, there is a practical limit to the extent that the top of the loop 28 extends above the top anchoringl means 2|.

There is also a practical limit to the extent ofl foreshortening the loop 28. As will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 5, regardless of the structure of the stem and wicking assembly and anchorage thereof, the loop tops 28, 28 should not be located down along the stem means I6 to a point below the throat or inward end 3| of the neck I4. If such a condition did exist the wicking would tend to become jammed at the throat 3| of the neck I4 as one attempted to withdraw the stem from the bottle for desired diifusion. With the loop tops 28, 28 located within the neck I4 between mouth 38 and throat 3| when the cap I0 is in vessel-closing position, any such withdrawal-preventing jamming is ef' fectively avoided.

As shown in Fig.. 6, the wicking assemblies on opposite sides of the stem may be duplicated and formed from one strip of wicking so that the two inner plies 24, 24 are connected together at their bottom ends such as at 35.

The structure which is shown in Fig. 6 to reduced scale proposes a modified form of stem means IIB with the two legs thereof III, II'I be understood that such an operation can also be had with respect to the left-hand wicking assembly of Fig. 3, and that retention of the assembly in the neck of the bottle be had by providing enough wicking so that it will be crowded within the neck I4, thus to hold the wicking assembly below the anchoring fingers 2|, 2| separated or spaced apart to accommodate this structure to a larger sized bottle or one which has a neck of greater diameter while retaining the desired features ofA compression of the wicking against the inner walls of the neck I4, or crowding of the stem and wicking assembly in the neck, to assure effective holding of the evaporative body in any one of a number of the desired positions of adjustment. In the structure shown in Fig. 6 the'two legs III, II'I are shown made integral at the bottom ends thereof such as in the vicinity of the point 35 and the inner and outer plies 24, 24 and 25, 25 of wicking are shown anchored in the vicinity of the bottom of the stem by means of a th rough rivet or bolt |22.

in any selected one of a number of positions of vbody within the bottle neck so that the stem and In operation of an embodiment of the present invention, such as that proposed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a bottle provided with liquid to be diffused may be effectively closed by the cap III with the stern means thereof and the supported evaporative body in the position proposed in Fig. 5. When diffusion of the'contained liquidis desired the cap I0 may be rotated to disengage the thread I2 'thereof from the thread I3 on the bottle neck I4, after which the cap may be employed to withdraw the stem means I6 through the neck I4 for exposure of a desired length of evaporative body 23. Crowding of the wick vin the neck I4 is such as to assure holding the stem and the evaporative body in the selected position. In other words the cross-sectional bulk and dimensions and configuration of the stem and wicking assembly are such or bear such relation to the cross-sectional area of the bottle mouth and/or neck as to make the former selfsupporting in the latter, particularly when the wicking is wet. Liquid will be drawn up from the bottle by the wicks 29, 29 to the outer plies 25, 25 and will also be transferred to the inner plies 24, 24 by face-to-face contact. As such liquid is drawn up and evaporated into the surrounding atmosphere it is replaced in the bottle by air taken down through the venting passages :4 34.' comp1ete withdrawn or limiting stop of the stem I8 and the evaporative body supported thereon isassured by the formation of the jamming loop or loops 8l. However, should it ever be desired completely to remove the assembly from the bottle, jamming loops 58 may be removed by engaging an instrument, such as a finger, between the outer and linner plies 25 and 24 and looping the loose strips of wicking, comprising the upper minor portions of the inner plies plus the outer plies, outwardly, as is proposed on the right-hand side of Fig. 3. This may also be resorted to for the purpose of in, creasing the rate of diffusion as is indicated above. The stem and wicking assembly may be returned to the bottle when desired by pushing the cap down to engage the neck I4, so asto close the bottle mouth 30.

In Fig. 1 is shown duplicate wicking assemblies mounted on opposite sides of the stem |8. However, the inner and cuter plies of the wicking in the right-hand assembly are shown positioned differently than they are in the left-hand assembly. This has been accomplished by means of a small instrument, such as a wire 85, for the purpose of indicating relative dimensions of parts andthe foreshortening of the loop 28 with respect to the edge 32 of the cap skirt as may be preferred in a commercial embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the embodiment of Figs. 'I to 10 inclusive, stem means 2|8 may comprise two somewhat similar pieces or legs 2|1, 2|1, preferably rigidly tied together at the top portions thereof, or made integral at a loop ||8 receiving therethrough and secured by a rivet or bolt Il to the cap I il.

The legs 2|1, 2|1 of which the stem means 2|5 may be mainly comprised are preferably resilient throughout their lengths, and each leg is at least resilient in a section of the top portion thereof, such as near the anchorage of the legs to supporting means such as the cap I8, or adjacentA points at which the legs are rigidly connected or tied together. For this purpose the legs 2I1, 2|1 may be formed of resilient slender rod stock such as steel wire, e.,g., fifteen gauge stainless steel wire.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 'I to 10 inclusive, the legs 2I1, 2|I of the stem means 2|8 may be formed as sections of a single piece of steel wire bent substantially in its mid-section to form the supporting loop I8 to be fastened to the cap I0. From the loop ||8 each leg 2|'I has a portion 38 which extends downwardly to a point 35 where the wire is bent substantially at right angles to provide a substantially transverse or horizontal portion 40 extending to point |2| where the wire is bent back upon itself to provide another horizontal or transverse portion 4| extending substantially parallel to the portion `88 to provide therebetween a slot 42 for an anchoring purpose to be indicated later. The wire of each leg 2|1 may then again be bent back upon itself at 43 to form a portion 44 which extends to a point 45, where the wire is then bent downwardly to form an extended section 4-8 constituting the major portion of the leg. At the lower end of each leg section 4Bk the wire is again bent at 41 substantially at right angles to form a transversely extending portion 48 terminating at |22 in a reverse bend to cause end portion 48 to extend substantially parallel to the portion 48 providing therebetween another anchoring slot 58.

As viewed in Figs. 7 and 8, it will be seen that legs 2|1, 2|'I of the stem means 2|8 diverge at least from the points of bend at 45, 45 downwardly so that the lower ends thereof at |22, |22 are spaced an appreciable distance apart, either when entirely removed from bottle |5 or when in the lowermost position within the bottle, as viewed in Fig. 7, and that this spacing is appreciably greater than the internal diameter or latral dimension ofthe neck |4 and the mouth 28. It will be noted that each leg 2|1 preferably has its long section 48 bowed outwardly, such as at 5|, as viewed in Fig. 7, and further, as viewed from the side in Fig. 11, that section is seen preferably to be bent to zigzag shape lto provide certain drag relative to evaporative body or wick means, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Elongated ilexible strips |23, |28 oi' porous material, such as wicking, are mounted upon the stem means 2I5. These elongated strips |28, |23 may be formed as separate pieces, but in the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to l0 incl., they are provided as parts of an integral piece of wicking which may have one end anchored to the bottom portion of one of the legs 2|'| at |22 by reception in the slot 58, to be clamped between the leg portions 48 and 49. Ihis lower end of the wicking preferably, but not necessarily, extends beyond the bottom end of leg 2||, under discussion, to provide -a short end portion 52. The wicking then extends upwardly along the outside of the section 48 of leg 2|1 Afrom the anchorage at |22 to provide a long outer ply section |25 extending to a point or loop top |28, where the wicking is bent backwardly upon itself 4to form a relatively short inner ply section |24 that extends to a second anchorage at 2|. At |2| the wicking is received in the slot 42 and tightly gripped between the portions 40 and 4| of the leg 2|1, and from there a quite short section 52 of the wicking extends laterally to the adjacent slot 42 between portions 40 and 4| of the second leg 2 l1, where it is again securely anchored in a similar manner. From the second slot 42 'the wicking then extends upwardly to provide a second relatively short section |24 extending to another loop 'top |28, where the wicking is bent downwardly and back upon itself to provide a second long section |25 extending along the outside of the second leg 2 1 to the bottom portion of the latter at |22, where it is securely anchored or clamped.

Beyond the bottom portion |22 of the second leg 2|'I the other end of the wicking extends below the surface 54 of a body 55 of evaporable liquid in the bottle |5 to provide a relatively long section or wick 56, which preferably, though not necessarily, is of sufficient length to reach to the bottom of the bottle when the stem and wick assembly are withdrawn through the neck |4 a maximum distance of adjustment, which assures maximum rate of evaporation or diffusion into the surrounding atmosphere of the evaporable liquid.

|28, |28 of the two loops of wicking will .be located within the elongated bottle neck I4, that f is, between the throat of the neck at `6| andthe bottle mouh 30 at the top end o f the neck, when the stem and wick assembly are in their lowermost position, with the cap I6 having its thread l2 engaged with the thread I6 ofthe neck, as shown in Fig. 7. This feature is relatively important for the reasons previously indicated.

Iny operation of the embodiment ofthe apparatus of the present invention shown in Figs. I to 10 inclusive, eillcient diffusion of liquid from body 55 thereof in the bottle |6 may be accomplished in a manner similar to that recited above in connection with Figs.` 1 to 6 incl. Such diffusion and variation in the rate thereof will be had ,by unscrewing cap and lifting of the stem and wick assembly thereby up through the bottle neck to a selected diffusing position. If a rather rapid rate of diffusion is desired, the cap I0 may be lifted to the position shown in Fig.' 8. As this is done, with withdrawal of the stem means 2|6 and wicking through the neck, the wet wicking of V e 1ol posed top portions o! the wicking loops and the bunchings at 61," 61. as shown in Fig. 8, are at'- 'tained to the desired extents when. after passage of thetop anchorages for the wicking at .|2I, |2I

"above the bottle mouth 66, the drag between the `wicking and the inner surface of the neck is made greater to a certain degree than the drag between the leg portions 46, 46 and the wicking. As a result. though the wicking will be withdrawn through the neck with the stem, the rate of withdrawal of the former will become less than that of the latter, thereby reducing the ratio between the length of the outer ply wicking sections |26,

|26 and legportions 46, 46 exposed above the bottle mouth v60, thus causing the top wicking bends |26, |26 gradually to approach the elevation of the'anchorages at |2|, |2| and producing the bunchings at 61, 61 interiorly' of the throat 3| of the neck. In this manner the' wicking is to be hunched out at 61, 61 to a lateral over-all v dimension of wicking and stem parts at the lower portion of the assembly greater than the interior diameter of the neck |4 so as, as a result, to check withdrawal of the wicking and stem assembly. This bunching at 61, 61 is advantageous since it is of suillcient extent as to cause eventual jamming thereof against the throat 6| to provide face of the bottle neck and the outwardly bowed sections 46, 46 of the legs.

It will be understood that, in any particular device incorporating features of the present invention, preferably there will be a definite relationship between those two drags, and it has been found that, by a proper proportioning of those drags, as. the stem and wicking assembly is withdrawn to an upward position, the top wicking bends |26, |28 and the short innerl ply wick-v ing sections |24, |24, as well as the upper portions of the long outer ply wicking sections |26,

|25, will be caused to are outwardly or laterally, and a bunching of the wicking adjacent the lower anchorages at |22, |22, such as Vat 51, 51 also will be produced, as illustrated in Fig. 8. As the stem and wicking assembly is lifted, the wicking and stem during the initial portion of travel through the bottle neck I4 move at about equal pace as loops tend to flare or fall away from the upper portion of the stem means 2|6 by their own weight. This flaring of the top portions of the wicking loops is additionally attributable to relative proportioning of thedrag between the wicking and the inner surface of the neck, on the one hand, and the drag between the wicking andthe portions 46, 46 of legs 2 I1, 2|1 on the other hand.

There is evidence that the flaring of the exstop means limiting further withdrawal of the stem and wicking assembly. The accompanying automatic aring of the wicking above the neck |4 assures eillcient exposure of both inner and outer surfaces of the wicking to the surrounding atmosphere for eil'ective diffusion thereinto of vapor from the evaporable liquid in the bottle.

It will be obvious that the rate of diffusion may be precisely vadjusted by the amount of withdrawal of the stem and wicking assembly from the bottle neck and that the greater the withdrawal the greater the rate of diil'usion. Further, it will be noted that the initial spread and resiliency of the diverging portions 46, 46 of stem legs 2|1, 2|1 andthe mentioned drags, will cause l the stem and wicking assembly to be held or clamped in any position to which the assembly is withdrawn. Thus the cross-sectional bulk and dimensions and configuration of the stem and wicking assembly are such as to cause it to be self-supporting in any of a. number of positions in the bottle mouth.

The elongated end portion or wick 66 which extends down into the bottle will assure travel by capillary action of the evaporable liquid from the body thereof in the bottle up through the wicking to the portions exposed above the bottle mouth 30 regardless of the quantity of such liquid in the bottle. If desired, the short end portion 52 of the wicking may also be substantially extended to reach to the bottom of the bottle when :the stem and wicking assemblyare withdrawn to loops |23, |23v is made integral at 53, thus assuring travel of liquid throughout all of thewicking exposed above the bottle neck. Such travel of the liquid and resultant saturationof all of the wicking may be further assured by soshaping the lower clamping loops at |22, |22 as to cause the end portions 52 and 66 ofthe wicking to extend toward each other to engagement, as shown in Fig. 8, so that, should the level of the body of liquid 65 in the bottle be eventually lowered to below the end of the short end portion 52 of the wicking, the latter may draw liquid from the wick 66, due to the engagement therebetween, resulting in maintenance of saturation of the lefthand loop |23 as well as the righthand loop lwith l form of strips of sheet spring steel, or the like.

As shown in this embodiment. the two loose loops of wicking |23, |23 may be provided yas separate pieces of wicking each having its upper end 53 iltted with an eyelet 59. As shown in Fig. 11, the upper portions of the stem legs 3 I1, 3 I 1 are shaped substantially flat and are held substantially in face engagement by a rivet 30 at |2| which extends through holes in both of the legs and through the two eyelets 59, 59 to anchor the upper ends 53, 58 of the wicking loops |23, |23. The resilient legs 3|1, 3|1 formed of sheet spring steel diverge downwardly below the anchorage at |2| and are preferably bowed outwardly, as shown in Fig. 11, similar to that arrangement of the stem legs of the embodiment shown in Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive. The lower anchorages of the wicking loops |23, |23 at |22, |22 may be provided in any suitable manner, such as by shaping the lower ends of the leg strips 3|1, 3|1 to form pointed barbed heads 5I, 5| which may be readily pierced through the wicking to anchor it. In this embodiment, as previously suggested, where the two loose loops of wicking |23, |23 are formed as separate parts, it may be desirable to extend both bottom ends of the wicking a considerable distance below both of the lower anchorages at |22, |22 so that capillary action in each separate piece of wicking will assure saturation with the liquid from the body 55 thereof in the bottle I5 at all times. Accordingly, the lower ends of both of the loops |23, |23 may be extended below anchorages at |22, |22 each to provide a wick 55,

In Fig. 13 is shown a further modified form of the invention which, with respect to the stem means, is similar to that proposed in Figs. l1 and 12, but the upper ends 58, 53 of the wicking loops |23, |23 are extended downwardly past the upper anchorages at |2| to the lower anchorages at |22, |22 to provide longer inner plies 224, 224, each extending on the outside of the major portion 43 of its adjacent leg 3|1 from the upper anchorage at |2I to the lower anchorage at |22- This increases the area of the exposed surfaces of the wicking when the stem and wick assembly are withdrawn through the bottle neck to diffusing position. It will be noted that in any structure similar to that proposed in Fig. 13 all other features described above in connection with Figs. 7 to l2 incl., including the flaring of the loose loops, the retention oi the upper portions therein within the neck when the stem and wicking assembly is moved to its lowermost position with the bottle closed by the cap I5, and the bunching at 51, 51 to limit withdrawal, are all characteristic dof that structure.

In Figs. 14 and 15 is shown a modified form of the structure shown in Figs. 7 tol() inclusive` In this device the upper portions |38, |33 of legs 4|1, 4I1 are arranged in divergence so that there is gradual divergence throughout the entire lengths of the legs from the anchorage thereof at the cap, such as by means of rivet I9, to the lower anchorages at |22, |22. This brings about an appreciable spacing of the legs at the top anchorages |2|, |2|, providing therebetween a section |53 of wicking which is of an appreciable length. In order to adapt such a structure to a vessel of the type having a restricted mouth, such as a bottle I5 having a relatively small neck I4, the portions bent to provide the top anchorages at |2|, I2I

are shaped as shown in Fig. 15 with the transversely extending portions |43, |4| and |44, between the points 35 and 45, being shaped arcuately to adapt them to the cylindrical shape of the inner wall of the bottle neck I4. In other respects the structure shown in Figs. 14 and 15 is similar to the cap, stem and wicking assembly shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, and its operation, when used with a filled bottle, such as I5, will be similar to 'that described above in connection with that embodiment.

As previously intimated, a stem and wicking assembly of a type similar to those shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inci.,'can be altered in a ready and simple manner with omission of a large part of each wicking inner ply 24, with suitable provision for secure anchorage thereof to the stem means at 2|. As suggested, such means may comprise a rivet, bolt, or other suitable fastening means. Such a structure is shown by way oi' example in Figs. 16 and 17. As therein shown, the stem means 5I! may comprise a single ilat piece or strip 5|1 of metallic or other somewhat rigid or lresilient material and, of course, can be of any other desired and suitable cross-sectional shape. Anchorage of the upper end of stem means 5|5 to the underside of cap I0 can be accomplished in many ways, such as by providing rivet I3 as a. reduced portion of the upper end of stem element 5I1 or by bending the latter laterally and aperturing to receive a separate rivet. The pair of laterally-fiarable loops of wicking 223, 223 may be mounted on opposite sides of stem means 5|3 by providing as an upper anchorage at |2| a through rivet 50 and washers 62, 52. By way of example, the upper ends 53, 53 of the wicking loops 223, 223 are anchored to the -stem element 5|1 by overlaying each with one of the washers 52, 52, aligning the holes therein with holes in the two strips of wicking and a hole in the stem element at |2|, placing headed rivet 60 in the aligned holes and fastening the parts together by peening over the end of the rivet shank, as shown in Fig. 16.

The strips of wicking constituting laterallyarable loops 223, 223 are anchored to the lower end o'f stem element at 222 by means similar to that employed at anchorage |2| in Fig. 16, and it will be noted that each strip of wicking extending between the anchorages at |2I and 222 is appreciably longer than the straight line distance between those two anchorages, thereby providing a laterally-ilarable loop of wicking 223 on each side of the stem means. 'Each of those loops 223 is `made up of an outer ply 25 longer than the distance between the two anchorages |2| and 222, extending up from the latter to a top bend at 23, and shorter inner ply 324 extending down from that top bend to the upper anchorage |2|. That important feature is characteristic of all of the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed. a-s well as of the devices shown and described in our copending application Serial No. 676,521, led June 13, 1946.-

Although the wicking and stem assembly of Figsly 16 and 1'7 preferably has the laterally-fiarable loop of wicking 223 duplicated on opposite sides of the stem means 5|3, of course, as previously pointed out, only one such loop need be employed to produce an operative device. Further, either one or both of the depending wicks 23, 29 may ble omitted, if desired, or provided as separate elements and Joined to the fiarable loops by any suitable means. such as stitching,

" if formed as separate elements.

stapling, or by means of the lower anchorage ing them integral or by attaching them together It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above and those made apparent from the preceding description, among others, are efilciently attained in accordance with the present invention, Aand since certain changes may be 4made in 'the above construction and diiferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the, accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and Vspecific features of the invention herein described. and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A liquid diffuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having a, mouth of a. certain cross-sectional area, elongated stem means extending down through the mouth into said vessel, a pair of anchoring means on said stem means located a certain distance apart, and a strip of wicking anchored to said stem means at spaced points by said pair of anchoring means with the length of said strip between said pair of anchoring means being appreciably longer than the distance between the latter to provide a 100D of wicking capable of being flared laterally exteriorly of the vessel mouth when said stem means is 4partially withdrawn from the latter, said stem means and wicking loop constituting parts of a diffuser assembly of such conguration and bulk as to be self-supporting in the vessel mouth when withdrawn to a diffu-sing position.

2. In a diffuser assembly for evaporating liquids contained within a vessel having a mouth of a certain cross-sectional area, the combination comprising an elongated supporting means, upper and lower wicking anchoring means carried by said Vsupporting means and spaced apart a predetermined distance, and a strip of wicking anchored to said supporting means by said upper and lower anchoring means with the length of said strip extending between said anchoring means being appreciably longer than the distance between the latter to provide a laterally-ilarable loop, said diiuser assembly being of such crosssectional bulk and configuration with respect to the cross-sectional area, of the vessel mouth as to be self-supporting in elevated position in the mouth.

3. A liquid diffuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having a throat and outwardly thereof a restricted mouth, and a diffuser assembly couiprising an elongated stem means extending down through the mouth and throat into said vessel,

a pair of anchoring means on said stem means located a certain longitudinal distance apart, and a strip of wicking anchored to said stem means at one point by one of Said pair of anchoring means and at another point by the other of said pair of anchoring means with the length of that strip of wicking between said pair of anchoring means having no intervening point of anchorage to said stem means and being appreciably longer than the distance between said anchoring means amsosf to provide s lease loop 4withdrawal o: said stem means provision ci' a .dared loop of wickingexteriorly of the vessel for increasing the rate of diffusion. said diffuser assembly beings! such vconfiguration and bulk as to be self-supporting in the mouth in a plurality y of adjusted diiiuslng positions.

4. In a wick assembly for evaporating uids contained within a vessel which is provided with an open neck at its upper end, the combination lof an elongated wick-supporting member, wickengaging portions carried by the` member adjacent upper and lower ends thereof, and a wick.

the upper section of the wick being supported while under tension between such wick-engaging portions, the resulting wick assembly being of such cross-sectional bulk and configuration as to be self-supporting in elevated position through frictional contact between the wick and the neck of the vessel, the lower section of the wick being of suiilcient length to project into the field when the wick assembly is in such 'elevated-position.

5. A liquid diuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having a restricted mouth, elongated stem means extending down through the mouth into said vessel, upper anchoring means on said stem means located in the vicinity of the mouth and additional anchoring means located a considerable distance from the upper anchoring means down said stem means. and at least a pair of elongated strips of wicking mounted on said stem means lwith one on one side thereof and the other on-the opposite side thereof, each of that lpair of strips of wicking being anchored to said stem means at one point by the upper anchoring means and at another point by the lower anchoring means with the length of each of those strips of wicking on each side of said stem means having no intervening point of anchorage to the latter and being appreciably longer than the longitu dinal distance between the upper and lower anchoring means in provide on each side of said stem means a'loose loop of wicking, said stem means and aggregate wicking extending through the mouth upon withdrawal being of such configuration and bulk as to cause the wicking to drag against the vessel structure dening the mouth when said stem and wicking assembly is withdrawn to be substantially self-supporting in the mouth in a plurality of adjusted didusing positions and ultimately to provide jamming bunching of wicking interiorly of the vessel inward of the mouth when the lower anchoring means is pulled up toward the mouth.

6. A liquid diffuser comprising, in combination, a vesselrhaving a neck providing a mouth; and a diffuser assembly comprising elongated stem means extending down through said neck into said vessel, a pair of longitudinally spacedapart anchoring means on said stem means, and a strip of wicking anchored to said stem means on one side thereof at one point by one of said pair of anchoring means and ai; another point by the. other of said pair of anchoring means with the length of that strip of wicking between said pair of anchor ng means having no intervening point of anchorage to said stem means and being appreciably longer than the distance between said anchoring means to provide a loose loop of wicking to permit upon withdrawal of said stem means from said neck provision of a flared loop of wicking exteriorly of the vessel for increasing the rate of diffusion, the loose loop of wicking being substantially duplicated on the opposite side of said stem means, said diffuser assembly being of such wicking to permit upon I configuration and bulk as to be substantially selfsupporting on said vessel in a plurality of adjusted diffusing positions.

7. A liquid diffuser comprising. in combination, a vessel having an elongated neck provid ing a mouth at the outward end thereof and a throat at the inward end thereof, a removable closure for the mouth, stem means mounted on said closure and extending down through said neck into said vessel, a strip of wicking looped back upon itself to provide a loop top and inner and outer plies both depending from the loop top, and a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means on said stem means with the bottom one securing said outer plyto one side of said stem means and the top one securing the inner lply to the same side of said stem means at a. point appreciably below the loop top with the resulting length of wicking which extends between said pair of anchoring meansy being appreciably longer than the distance therebetween to hang loosely between said pair of anchoring means, the top of the loop of wicking being so extended beyond the top anchoring means toward said closure sufllciently to assure location thereof in the neck between its throat and mouth when said closure is seated in closing position, the length of said inner ply above the top anchoring means being such that the distance between said top anchoring means and any point on the top of the loop is substantially no longer than the distance between that anchoring means and any point on the bottom edge of said closure, the resulting stem and wicking diffuser assembly being of such configuration and bulk as to be substantially self-supporting in the mouth in a plurality of adjusted diffusing positions.

8. A liquid diffuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having a neck providing a mouth, a removable closure for the mouth, elongated stem means mounted on said closure and extending down through the mouth and neck into said vessel, upper anchoring means on said stem means located in the vicinity of said neck and additional anchoring means locateda considerable distance from the upper anchoring means down said stem means, and at least a pair of elongated strips of wicking mounted on said stem means with one on one side thereof and the other on the opposite side thereof, each of that pair of strips of wicking being anchored to said stem means at one Point by the upper anchoring means and at another point by the lower anchoring means wtih the length of each of those strips of wicking on each side of said stem means having no intervening point of anchorage to the latter and being appreciably longer than the longitudinal distance between the upper and lower anchoring means to provide on each side of said stem means a loose loop of wicking, said stem means and aggregate wicking extending through the neck and mouth upon withdrawal being of such configuration and bulk as to cause the wicking to drag against the inner wail of the neck when said stem and wicking assembly is withdrawn to be substantially self-supporting in the neck in a plurality of adjusted diffusing positions and ultimately to provide jamming bunching of wicking interiorly of the vessel at the throat of the neck when the lower anchoring meansv is pulled up toward the throat, each of said loops of wicking having its top portion extended beyond the upper anchoring means toward said closure with the length of the loop of wicking being such that the distance between said upper 16 anchoring means and any point on the top 'portion of the loopr is substantially no longer than the distance between thatanchoring means and any point on the bottom edge of said closure.

9. A liquid diffuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having a neck providing a mouth, elongated stem means extending down through said neck into said vessel, a strip of wicking looped back upon itself to provide a loop top and inner and outer plies both depending from the loop top, a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means on said stem means with the bottom one securing said outer ply to one side of said stem means and the top one securing the inner ply to the same side of said stem means at a point appreciably below the loop top with the resulting length of wicking which extends between said pair of anchoring means being appreciably longer than the distance therebetween to hang loosely between said pair of anchoring means, and a wick joined to said strip depending from said stem means and of such length as to reach the bottom of said vessel when said stem means is withdrawn to maximum evaporating position with its bottom end in the vicinity of said neck, the resulting stem and wicking diffuser assembly being of such configuration and bulk as to be substantially self-supporting in the mouth in a plurality of adjusted diffusing positions.

10. A liquid diffuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having an elongated neck providing a mouth at the outward end thereof and a throat at the inward, end thereof, a removable closure for the mouth, elongated stem means mounted e on said closure and extending down through said neck into said vessel, a pair of wicking assemblies located on opposite sides of said stem means with each comprisinga strip of wicking looped back upon itself to provide a loop top and inner and outer plies depending from the loop top, lower anchoring means on said stem means securing the outer ply of each of said wicking assemblies to said stem means, top anchoring means on said stem means longitudinally spaced from said lower anchoring means and securing the inner ply of each of said wicking assemblies to said stem means at a point appreciably below the loop top of the strip of wicking in that wicking assembly, the resulting length of wicking in each of said wicking assemblies which extends between the top and lower anchoring means being appreciably longer than the distance therebetween to hang loosely between those anchoring means, the top of the loop of wickingin each of said wicking assemblies being so extended beyond the top anchoring means toward said closure sufficiently to assure location thereof in the neck between its throat and mouth when said closure is seated in closing position, the length of each of said inner plies above the top anchoring means being such that the distance between the latter and any point on either of the two loop tops is no longer than the distance between that anchoring means and any point on the bottom edge of said closure, and a wick joined to at least one of said strips of wicking in said wicking assemblies depending from said stem means and of such length as to reach the bottom of said vessel when said stem means is withdrawn to maximum evaporating position with its bottom end in the vicinity of said neck, the resulting stem and wicking diffuser assembly being of such configuration and bulk as to be substantially selfsupporting in the mouth in a plurality of adjusted diffusing positions.

11. A diiuser assembly comprising, in combination, a vessel having a neck providing a mouth, elongated stem means extending down through said neck into said vessel, a pair of strips of wicking each looped back upon itself to provide a loop top and inner and outer plies depending from the loop top, and a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means on said stem means with the bottom one securing both outer plies to said stem means on opposite sides thereof and with the top anchoring means securing both the inner plies to opposite sides of said stem means, the resulting length of wicking on each side of said stem means which extends between said pair of anchoring means being appreciably longer than the distance therebetween to hang loosely between said pair of anchoring means, said stem means being of such cross-sectional dimension and the wicking on opposite sides thereof being of such thickness and width as to cause the diffuser assembly when the wicking is wet frictionally to grip the inner walls of the neck to hold such assembly in desired adjusted position while permitting forced sliding to other positions and with the wicking having longitudinally-extending folds in those portions conned within the neck serving as vapor lock-preventing vents.

` 12. A liquid diiuser comprising, in combina- .tion, a vessel having a mouth, a substantially rigid elongated stem extending down through the mouth into said vessel, a strip of wicking looped back upon itself to provide an inner ply and an outer ply, and a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means on said stem securing a lower portion of said inner ply to one side of said stem in a relatively taut condition between said pair of anchoring means, said outer ply being secured to the same side of said stem by the bottom anchoring means of said pair and 'joined at the top of the loop of wicking to an upper portion of said inner ply above the top anchoring means of said pair with .the top of the loop being extended beyond the top anchoring means whereby the wicking ln said outer ply and the top portion of said inner ply hangs loosely between said pair of anchoring means,

a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means on said stem securing alower portion of said inner ply to one side of said stem in a relatively taut condition between said pair of anchoring means, said outer ply being secured to the 18 same side of said stem by the bottom anchoring means of said pair and joined at the top of the loop of wicking to an upper portion of said inner ply above the top anchoring means of said pair with the top of the loop being extended beyond the top Aanchoring means toward said closure whereby the wicking in said outer ply and the top portion of said inner ply hangs loosely between said pair of anchoring means, the length of the top portion of said inner ply above the top anchoring means being such that the distance between said top anchoring means and any point on the top of the loop is substantially no longer than the distance between that anchoring means and any point on thebottomv edge ofsaid closure, the resulting stem and wicking diiuser assembly being of such configuration and bulk as to be substantially selfsupporting in the mouth in a plurality of adjusted diffusing positions.

14. A liquid diiuser comprising, in combination, a vessel having a neck providing a mouth, elongated stem means extending down through said neck into said vessel, a strip of wicking looped back upon itself to provide an inner ply and an outer ply, and a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart anchoring means on said stem means with the bottom one securing both plies to one side of said stem means and the top one securing the inner ply to the same side of said stem means with relatively no slackness of said inner ply between said pair of anchoring means. the top of the loop of wicking being extended beyond the top anchoring means whereby said outer ply hangs loosely between said pair of anchoring means, said wicking structure being duplicated on opposite sides of said stem means, said stem means being of such cross-sectional dimension and said plies of wicking being of such thickness and width as to cause the diffuser assembly when said wicking is wet frictionally to grip the inner Awalls of the neck to hold such assembly in desired adjusted position while permitting forced sliding to other positions.

WILLIAM H. WHEELER. LEONARD B. WAMNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

